Work holder

ABSTRACT

A portable work holder apparatus for planar materials such as artist&#39;&#39;s canvases, drawing boards, lecturer&#39;&#39;s pads, chalk boards and the like is disclosed having movable, opposed work-engaging jaw means disposed upon a substantially rigid frame apparatus. The work holder is adapted to engage a support means such as a photographic pan head carried by a tripod or other suitable support means. When the work holder is secured to the support means an indexing means may be provided to prevent relative rotation therebetween. Two mounting locations on the work holder are provided, one at the extreme lower end of the frame apparatus and the other oriented perpendicular to the first mounting location and slidable along the length of at least a portion of the frame apparatus. The frame apparatus is extendable to permit gripping of various sized workpieces by the work engaging jaw means on slider-gripper devices movably mounted upon the frame apparatus.

United States Patent [1 1 Millen June 12, 1973 WORK HOLDER [76] Inventor: Harold R. Millen, 502 21st S. E., No.

i 9, Auburn, Wash. 98002 [22] Filed: July 1, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 158,857

[52] US. Cl. 248/449, 108/15, 248/460,

248/185 [51] Int. Cl A47b 97/08 [58] Field of Search 248/449, 448', 460,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,095,834 7/1963 Killen 108/15 3,228,360 l/1966 Jones 248/178 3,231,230 l/1966 Mueller 248/449 439,098 10/1890 Blake 248/187 1,398,096 11/1921 Frair ..248/l85 1,538,252 5/1925 Martinez 248/449 Primary Examiner-Edward C. Allen Att0rney-Christensen & Sanborn [57] ABSTRACT A portable work holder apparatus for planar materials such as artists canvases, drawing boards, lecturers pads, chalk boards and the like is disclosed having movable, opposed work-engaging jaw means disposed upon a substantially rigid frame apparatus. The work holder is adapted to engage a support means such as a photographic pan head carried by a tripod or other suitable support means. When the work holder is secured to the support means an indexing means may be provided to prevent relative rotation therebetween. Two mounting locations on the work holder are provided, one at the extreme lower end of the frame apparatus and the other oriented perpendicular to the first mounting location and slidable along the length of at least a portion of the frame apparatus. The frame apparatus is extendable to permit gripping of various sized workpieces by the work engaging jaw means on slider-gripper devices movably mounted upon the frame apparatus.

13 Claims, 19 Drawing Figures Patented June 12, 1973 4 Sheets Sheot l INVENTOR. A AQOZD E #4415 Patented June 12, 1973 4 Shoots-Shoot 2 N 5 5 y a Q 3 w M m o E7 m v w a M a Patented June 12, 1973 4 S110. ts-Shoot 3 INVENTOR. #42410 ,e MAME/V Patented June 12, 1973 4 Shoots-Shut 4.

INVENTOR. $120.40 2. M/LAEA BY%M WORK HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a portable apparatus for holding planar materials and further relates to a work holder for properly positioning planar material for display or use.

More particularly, this invention relates .to a work holding mechanism suitable for use by artists, lecturers and other individuals in need of a means to display or to properly orient a planar surface such as canvas panels, boards, charts, cards, books, movie projection screens or other planar surfaces.

PRIOR ART Portable devices for holding planar material such as artists work surfaces including stretched canvas panels, water color boards and the like or large charts, cards, books, musicians scores, photographic surfaces, blackboards or other types of planardevices have heretofore been limited to wooden or metal structures traditionally known as easels. Most of theseeasels provide somewhat unstable and therefore inadequate support for their intended purpose and almost without exception are cumbersome to use. Little attention has been heretofore given to a device which is compact and portable when not in use yet provides a sturdy and substantial easel-like device when set up and which is easily and quickly adaptable to a wide variety of conditions and surroundings. Prior art devices require a considerable amount of time to set up and to adjust the work holder so that the work held is at the proper angle and height. This inconvenience is aggravated for artists who create their works of art in the field. Because of unevenness of terrain, any repositioning of the easel usually requires a complete readjustmentof all elementsof the easel. Lecturers moving from location to location have been faced heretofore with the necessity .of carrying often heavy and almost always awkward equipment with them in order to properly display the large planartype material frequently utilized as an adjunct to speeches, meetings and discussions. The devices of the prior art, such as artist s easels and the like for holding planar materials have been self-contained devices in which the ground, floor or table-engaging portion of the apparatus had to be purchased along with the workholding portion of the apparatus. Heretofore no device has been available which may be used in conjunction with a standard photographic tripod for holding any one of a large number of planar materials in a substantially infinite variety of positions.

In the prior art, changes in the attitude of work pieces held by work holders could only be effected if the operator used both hands, requiring him to set down whatever tools and equipment such as paint brushes, pallets, pointers and the like which he may be holding in order to adjust the position of the work holder.

One prior art device is known which meets some of the disadvantages of the traditional wooden or metal easel. This device incorporates a work holder attachable to its own tripod to which a camera can also be attached. However, the tripod utilized in this particular prior art device requires, as noted above, the use of two hands by the operator to effect attitude adjustments, since the tripod head locking means is fixed to the tripod half of the pan head rather than to the rotatable portion. The head of a standard photographic tripod,

on the other hand can be loosened, positioned and retightened by means of a combination handle and locking means. Furthermore, the prior art locking means for positioning the work holder has the handle thereof placed behind the held work which requires that the operator reach around the held work .or stand to the side in order to adjust the position of the work holder.

The work holding element of the prior art device mentioned above comprises a frame attachable to the tripod only in a single position which places the major axis of the work holder in a horizontal orientation to the bearing surface of the tripodhead. N0 provision is made for extension of the .usability of the device by vertical attachment with respect to the bearing surface of the tripod head. Further, the device has no means of adjusting the mounting location position along the length of the frame which limits the work positioning capabilities of the prior art work holder. Furthermore,

'this prior art device, by virtue of the peculiar type of work holding jaws provided, prevents the artist from painting on the full area of the canvas or blocks the usage of a certain portion of charts or other work pieces placed therein. The adjustments available with the prior art device limit the usage of this device to certain types of painting and photography, notably activities with work objects of limited size. Raising and lowering of the apparatus is accomplished only through raising and lowering .of .the tripod head itself.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a work holder adapted to grip and hold planar surfaces in a wide variety of attitudes and positions.

It is ,a further object of this invention to provide a work holder which may be attached to a standard photographic tripod, yet by means of a unique indexing device prevents relative rotation between the bearing surface of the tripod mounting head and the work holder.

A specific object of this invention is to provide a work holder having two or more locations for attachment to a photographic tripod to permit usage of the work holder in varied and universal position.

It is a further specific object of this invention to pro vide a work holder which has a telescopic frame to ac commodate work pieces of widely varying dimensions.

One further specific object of this invention is to provide a work holder having movable work-engaging means slidable on the frame of said work holder adapted to grip and engage a planar work piece such as an artists framed canvas, water color pad, chart, drawing board or the like without obscuring the surface of such planar work pieces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The work holder described in this invention comprises an elongated frame means which is adapted to engage a suitable support means such as a photographic tripod head or other type of support surface. In the preferred embodiment the frame means has both a center mounting base and an end mounting base attached thereto, each have a mounting surface matable with the upper surface of a suitable support means. The mounting plate of each mounting means is constructed of a rigid material of a width and length essentially. equal to the average dimensions of the weight bearing surface of the mounting head of typical photographic tripods. The mounting plates each have a threaded receptacle for receiving the mounting head screw normally found in photographic tripod heads. Means is provided in the mounting plate to index the work holder with respect to the upper bearing surface of the mounting head so that relative rotation between the mounting head and the work holder is prevented. Such rotation would frequently be encountered in the use of this invention for holding large materials such as an artists canvas in which sturdy brushing strokes on the right side of the canvas would result in a substantial amount of torque beingplaced upon the junction between the work holder and the mounting head. By indexing the two elements of the mounting means together, rotation resulting from such torque is prevented.

The end base may have two plates hinged together with the lower plate adapted to engage the weight bearing surface of a tripod and the upper plate connected to the frame means permitting the work holder to be pivoted with respect to the lower plate. This permits folding of the entire apparatus into a convenient package for transporting or storage, without removal of the end base from the upper surface of the tripod head.

The work holder has a pair of opposed work engaging gripper means on the frame means thereof at least one of which is slidable along a portion of the frame means to form work engaging jaws, the upper gripper means being slidably mounted on an upper portion of the frame means and the lower gripper means either being permanently positioned adjacent the end base or slidable upon the lower portion of the frame means.

The work holder frame means may be provided with a telescopic section to permit enlargement of the overall dimensions thereof to accommodate very large work pieces as well as the small and medium sized work pieces usually encountered.

The frame means may have incorporated as a part thereof a backing sheet of a relatively thin rigid material whose purpose is to give support and rigidity to work being held. In this embodiment a shelf-like projection perpendicular to the surface of the backing sheet is positioned along at least a portion of the lower edge thereof adjacent the end base to act as a workengaging means. One or more work-engaging projections in opposition to the lower projection may be utilized, each being positioned on an elongated shaft member oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the frame and placed below the surface of the backing sheet. The work-engaging projections carried by the shaft members extend above the surface of the backing sheet to engage the work piece. Each elongated shaft member is slidably mounted in the frame carrying the backing sheet and may be inverted to accommodate large or small work pieces. A center base is slidably mounted upon the back surface of the frame and an end base is positioned on one marginal edge of the frame to provide versatility for various work-holding situations.

The objects and attributes of this invention may be more readily ascertained by a detailed evaluation of the discussion set out below concerning the preferred embodiments with reference to the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 partly in section;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with a tripod attached, in folded position for carrying;

FIG. 4 presents a perspective view of a tripod mounting head suitable for use with this invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an indexing means used to prevent rotation between the mounting head of a tripod and the work holder;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the indexing means;

FIG. 7 shows an end elevational view partly in section of another embodiment of this invention having work support arms attached to the center base;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view partly in section taken along lines 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 7 and 8;

FIG. 10 is a side view partly in section taken along lines 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 shows the center base mounting element of another embodiment of this invention having a flat, rigid work support surface attached to the frame means;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the center base mounting element shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 shows an overall perspective view of a work holder having a flat, rigid work support surface attached to the frame means and including the center base mounting element shown in FIGS. 11 and 12;

FIG. 14 shows a partial end elevation partly in section of the apparatus shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 shows a partial plan view partly in section of the apparatus shown in FIG. 13 wherein the center mounting element is shown positioned adjacent the weight bearing surface of a tripod prior to attachment thereto;

FIG. 16 shows a perspective view of the embodiment of this invention shown in FIGS. 1-3 oriented in a horizontal position using the center base mounting means and having accessories attached;

FIG. 17 shows a perspective view of an outrigger attachment for the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 18 shows a top view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 presents a partial perspective view of an attachment means for mounting a frequently used work piece upon the apparatus shown in FIG. 16.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals indicate like parts, there is seen in FIG. 1 a perspective view of a first embodiment of this invention which is attached to standard photographic tripod shown generally at 200. The center post 201 of the tripod 200 may be raised or lowered by use of elevating crank 202 with respect to the tripod base 203. The pan and tilt head mechanism 204 is operated by loosening or tightening the control handle 205 to permit rotation and articulation of the mounting head. The mounting head 21 is adapted to receive the lower plate 32 of the end base of the apparatus of this invention. In this embodiment the end base is made up of two pivotally connected segments, the lower plate 32 and the upper plate 38 by means of hinged joint 34. However, the end base may be constructed of a single plate in the event that the pivotal feature is not required. A clamping device 40 is provided to hold the two plate elements together. A shaft socket 42 is formed in the upper surface of the upper plate 38 and is adapted to receive the butt end of lower shaft element 48. Shaft socket 42 has in at least one side thereof a bore hole containing set screw 44. The shaft socket 42 establishes a rigid joint with shaft element 48 by means of set screw 44. Thus, a rigid support means is provided for the apparatus of this invention to a suitable mounting head such as the top of the tripod 200.

A lower slider gripper 61 slidably engages the lower shaft 48 and may be positioned at any location along the length thereof by means of thumb screw 63. The lower slider gripper 61 has a pair of ears 90 projecting outwardly from the front surface 64 thereof. Each ear 90 has a work impaling pin 66 projecting upwardly from the weight bearing surface thereof. The slider gripper 61 is slidable along the entire exposed length of the lower shaft element 48. i

An upper shaft element 52 is shown enclosing lower shaft element 48 in a slidable relationship, the interior dimensions of the upper shaft element 52 being such that the lower shaft element 48 may slide easily therein. A thumb screw 56 is provided at the lower end of the upper shaft element 52 to firmly lock the shaft elements together to prevent relative motion therebetween at any desired location along the translation of the shafts. A shaft travel stop 50 is shown in FIG. 2 which is adapted to prevent unintentional removal of the upper shaft element 52 from lower shaft element In FIGS. 1 and 2 a slidable center base 72 is shown in a slidable relationship with the upper shaft element 52. A shaft-girdling portion 68 of the center base element 72 is shown encircling the upper shaft element 52. A center base thumb screw 70 is adapted'to be screwed into contact with the upper shaft element 52 to adjustably position the center base element 72 on shaft 52. The center base element has a suitable surface adapted to engage theupper surface 29 of mounting head 21 of a tripod or similar mounting means. In FIG. 2 a tapped hole 22 is shown adapted to receive the threaded screw 20 of mounting head 21. The center base element 72 may be moved to any location along the upper shaft 52 to permit versatility in the mounting of the work holder and especially for purposes such as water colors or the like which often require a horizontal work surface. In addition, the use of the work holder for such purposes as a chart holding means for lectures frequently require that the mounting means be disposed at the center of the work holder to properly display the chart for some purposes and disposed at the end of the work holder for instances in which maximum height is necessary for viewing.

At the upper end of upper shaft element 52 a second slider gripper means 62 is positioned slidable along the length of upper shaft. element 52. A slider gripper thumb screw 63 is provided to firmly engage the upper shaft element 52v to firmly position the slider-gripper means 62 at the desired location. This upper slidergripper means 62 has cars 90 positioned to engage a work piece. Work-holding pins 66 project outwardly from ears 90 to engage the work piece..An accessorymounting means 60 fits into the socket formed by the inside of the upper end of upper shaft element 52 and is held in place with screw 58 which also serves as a travel stop for the upper slider-gripper 62. The accessory attachment means 60 may be used to hold any one of a number of attachments such as a light, a sunshade, a microphone or other accessory to aid the user of the work holder.

FIG. 3 shows the device of this invention in its folded form for easy transport by the user. The hinge element 34 is shown open with the upper plate 38 opened from the lower plate 32. Shaft elements 48 and 52 are shown in their nested or collapsed position for ease of carrying and handling.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the top of a typical photographic tripod in which several indexing holes 28 have been drilled to receive the indexing pins 36 to prevent rotation between the work holder base and the tripod. Having the indexing pins as shown, the user may orient the work holder in any one of four angular positions with respect to the mounting head 21.

FIG. 5 shows an adapter plate for use with a standard photographic tripod which does not have indexing holes 28. Indexing holes 29 are shown placed in a flat plate 24 which is adapted to be placed over the top of the mounting head 21 of a standard photographic tripod. Edge 30 is folded or bent down into engagement with the sides of mounting head 21 to prevent rotation between the indexing plate 24 and the mounting head 21. The work holder mounting base is then placed upon the top of the indexing plate 24 with indexing pins 36 engaging indexing holes 29 and secured to the mounting head by means of a mounting screw 20 projecting upwardly through aperture 26.

Another embodiment of the indexing plate is shown in FIG. 6. This indexing plate 25 is provided with an adhesive backing 27 which permits it to adhere to the upper surface of the mounting head 21 and prevents relative rotation therebetween. The adhesive-backed indexing plate 25 has indexing holes 31 to engage indexing pins 36 and an aperture 26 through the center thereof to permit passage of the mounting screw 20.

FIGS. 7 through 10 show one other embodiment of this invention having a modified center base 102. Outrigger arms 74 are shown pivotally attached to the center base 102 at the arm pivot pins 76. Each outrigger arm 74 carries a slidable work-bracing bridge means 78 having a plurality of work support surfaces 77 positioned thereon. The outrigger arms 74 are preferably constructed of a Ushaped channel member permitting access to the interior from the bottom side thereof. The slidable work-bracing bridge means 78 encircle the outrigger arms 74 and have a spring member 79 placed inside to engage the interior surface of the U-shaped outrigger arm 74. The purpose of the outrigger arms is to provide added support and stability to wide objects or flexible objects held in the work holder.

In FIGS. 11 through 15 another embodiment of this invention is shown in which the frame means comprises a center base mounting track 122 having work board 111 attached thereto for a work support surface. A pair of slidable support elements 124 and 12S hereinafter referred to as gripper shafts are slidably mounted in gripper shaft guides 128 and 129', respectively, positioned in the work board 111. The gripper shaft guides open in tracking slots and 121 to permit the op posed work holding points 126 and 127 to pass through the surface of the work board 111..

The pins 118 of FIGS. 13 and 14 may be. the rigidly attached type as shown or may preferably be retractable or pivotable so that no interference with .certain types of work pieces will be encountered. The operator will simply retract the pins or pivot them down into a suitable depression in the surface of shelf 116 as needed for use with large tablets, books or the like. The

pins 118 may then be returned to their extended or upright position for use with stretched canvas panels, or other planar materials which need to have a secure impalement type fastener.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 through 15, the work such as an artists canvas or other planar work surface is held in place on the work board 111 between pins 118 in the lower lip or ledge 116 which extends across a substantial portion of the bottom of work board 111 and the work holding points 126 and 127 on gripper shafts 124 and 125. In this embodiment of the invention both the center base support 134 and the end base support 110 are attached to the center base support track 122. The center base support 134 is slidable upon the center base mounting track 122 and may be positioned at any location thereon by tightening thumbscrew 136. The end base 110 is positioned substantially perpendicular to the center back support track 122 and also is adapted to engage the weight bearing surface of a support means 21.

Sketched canvases for oil painting and thin backing materials such as pressed hardboard may be held by this embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 13.

The thick work 67- such as a canvas stretched on a wooden frame is shown engaged by work holding points 126 on the gripper shaft 124 and by pins 118 positioned in the ledge 116 at the bottom of work board 111. For thin work such as that shown at 65, the work board engages the work by sliding behind pins 118 and the work holding points 126.

Due to the configuration of the gripper shaft 124 small or large work may be readily handled by the embodiment of the invention. The gripper shaft 124 has opposed gripper points 126 positioned near one end thereof so that the gripper shaft 124 may be positioned with the work engaging points 126 located either within the boundaries of the work surface 112 or extending upwardly from the upper boundary of the work surface 112. Thus, works of widely varying dimensions can be easily accommodated, the larger works held by the gripper point 126 of gripper shaft 124 when inverted and extended beyond the upper edge 113 of backing sheet 112 as shown in the right-hand half of FIG. 13. Smaller works are accommodated by positioning the gripper shaft 124 as shown in the left-hand portion of FIG. 13 so that the work holding points 126 are located within the margin of the backing sheet 112.

The work boardlll may be mounted either by the end base 110 or by the center base 134 to a suitable surface 21 such as the weight bearing surface of a tripodfFIGS. 11 and 12 show the details of the center base 134 which slidably engages the center base support track 122. The center base support track 122 has a basically T configuration having one side thereof beveled at 134 to form a work surface upon which the thumbscrew 136 may engage the center base support track 122 to hold the center base at its desired location.

The bevel is provided both to force the center base into secure contact with the opposing side of the track to eliminate any possible movement between the center base 134 and the center base support track 122 and to place the thumbscrew 136 in a position away from the work board for easy access.

The center base 134 has an indexing pin or pins 36 protruding from it and located to engage the indexing holes 28 of the mounting head 21. The screw member in the mounting head 21 is adapted to be inserted into the threaded hole 22 to draw the center base 134 into secure contact with the mounting head 21.

FIGS. 16 and 19 show various modifications of the first embodiment of this invention as well as certain accessories which may be used with any of the various embodiments of this invention. In FIG. 16 the first embodiment of this invention is shown attached at its center base 72 to a suitable mounting head 21 with a large work piece positioned within the work holder. The pins 66 are shown penetrating partially into the work piece 67 and the work piece 67 is oriented in substantially horizontal position. A light 98 having a flexible gooseneck 100 and an accessory attachment collar 92 is shown attached to the accessory mounting means 60 at the upper end of the upper shaft element 52. A thumbscrew 94 in the accessory attachment collar 92 is used to permit attachment or detachment of the accessory from the work holder. Other accessories such as microphones, sun shades or the like may be attached to the invention by this accessory attachment means.

In FIGS. 17 and 18 a modification of a slider gripper is shown. In this embodiment the shaft engaging segment 82 of the slider gripper 83 has a pair of folding arms 86 attached thereto by means of pivot 88. The arms can be extended outwardly by rotation about pivot 88 to provide support at locations remote from the shaft element 48. The folding arms have cars 90 carrying work engaging pins 66 to engage and hold a work piece. The folding arms 86 may be placed in the vertical position for storage or in the horizontal position or use, both portions being shown in FIG. 17. The a stop surface 89 engages the side of the slider gripper body 82 and prevents further rotation downwardly of the folding arms 86.

In FIG. 19 an accessory is shown for use with work pieces 67 such as a drawing'board or the like whenever the work piece 67 must be taken in and out of the work holder frequently. An indexing plate 96 is shown positioned on the edge of the work piece 67 having a pair of indexing holes 97 located at the proper position to engage the work holding pins 66. The plate 96 being made of plastic or metal prevents the pins 66 from forming large holes in the side of the work piece 67 thereby assuring a tight fit relationship between the slider gripper front surface 64 with its work holding pins 66 and the work piece 67.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that work holders achieving the above-mentioned and related objectives may be embodied in variant forms within the framework of the inventive concepts. While the inventor has described several preferredembodiments of his invention in detail, it is understood that variations may readily be made by skilled practitioners of the relevant arts without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An artists easel or the like which includes a support that is upstanding on the ground or the like and comprises an attachment head having ground engaging elements circumposed thereabout to elevate the head above the ground, and a normally upright framing device that is detachably mounted on the head of the support to provide a rigid backing for the artists work piece, said device comprising a first elongated framing means which is upright on the support in the upright condition of the device, and has first and second mounting bases thereon, the first of which is connected with the lower end portion of the framing means and has a first bearing surface thereon which is disposed transversely to the longitudinal axis of the framing means, adjacent the lower end thereof, and the second of which is connected with the framing means at a point above the first mounting base, and has a second bearing surface thereon which is disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the framing means, on the back side thereof, and further comprising a second generally horizontal framing means which is connected with the first framing means so as to extend laterally thereof, to the right and left sides of its axis, whereby broadly dimensioned work pieces can be supportively retained on the device substantially parallel with the first and second framing means thereof, each of said bearing surfaces being adapted to be abutted face to face with the head of the support, to rest the device thereon, and there being connector means on the respective mounting bases and the support whereby each base is detachably interconnectible with the support when the surface of the respective base is so abutted with the head thereof, said first bearing surface being in abutment with the head in the aforesaid upright condition of the device, and said second bearing surface extending thereabove in spaced relationship to the ground, for use in mounting the device on the head in an alternative condition wherein the device is generally horizontally disposed, the second bearing surface is abutted with the head, and the first bearing surface is extended in spaced relationship to the ground at one side of the head.

2. The artists easel according to claim 1 wherein the mounting bases are adjustable in relationship to one another lengthwise of the first framing means.

3. The artists easel according to claim 1 wherein the second framing means comprises a pair of framing elementsthat are spaced apart lengthwise of the first framing means, and equipped with means which are adapted to releasably interengage with the work piece at opposite edges thereof. I

4. The artists easel according to claim 3 wherein the framing elements are equipped with impalement elements, and are adjustable in relation to one another lengthwise of the first framing means for impalement of the latter elements in the edges of the work piece.

5. The artists easel according to claim 1 wherein the first framing means is comprised of a pair of telescopically interengaged shafts, the lower of which has the first mounting base affixed to the lower end thereof, and the upper of which has the second mounting base slidably engaged on the body thereof.

6. The artists easel according to claim 1 wherein the second mounting base is slidably engaged on the first framing means.

7. The artists easel according to claim 1 wherein the first mounting base comprises a pair of hingedly interconnected plates, one of which is adapted to be abutted and detachably interconnected with the head of the support, and the other of which is superposed on the one plate and has the lower end of the first framing means affixed thereto, there being releasable lock means on the first mounting base, with which to lock and unlock the plates against relative motion when they are so superposed with one another.

8. The artists easel according to claim 1 wherein the connector means includes threadedly interengagable male and female connector elements on each of the respective mounting bases and the head of the support, and means for locking each of the respective bases against rotation with respect to the support when the connector elements of the support and that particular base are interengaged with one another.

9. The artists easel according to claim 1 wherein the support takes the form of a tripod having a universally rotatable swivel head thereon.

10. The artists easel according to claim 1 wherein the second framing means comprises a pair of framing elements that are spaced apart lengthwise of the first framing means, and each equipped with lateral extensions which are articulated with respect to the framing element, to be extended into an outriggered, substantially parallel condition with respect to the element, or alternatively, retracted into a folded, substantially parallel condition with respect to the first framing means.

11. The artists easel according to claim 1 wherein the first framing means has a socket in the upper end thereof, within which to accommodate the standard of an attachment device mounted thereon.

12. The artists easel according to claim 1 wherein the second framing means includes a work board which is connected crosswise of the first framing means, and equipped with a pair of gripper elements which are adjustable in relation to one another lengthwise of the first framing means, and adapted to releasably interengage with the work piece at opposite edges thereof.

13. The artists easel according to claim 12 wherein the second base is slidably engaged on the first framing means for adjustment to varying positions lengthwise thereof. 

1. An artist''s easel or the like which includes a support that is upstanding on the ground or the like and comprises an attachment head having ground engaging elements circumposed thereabout to elevate the head above the ground, and a normally upright framing device that is detachably mounted on the head of the support to provide a rigid backing for the artist''s work piece, said device comprising a first elongated framing means which is upright on the support in the upright condition of the device, and has first and second mounting bases thereon, the first of which is connected with the lower end portion of the framing means and has a first bearing surface thereon which is disposed transversely to the longitudinal axis of the framing means, adjacent the lower end thereof, and the second of which is connected with the framing means at a point above the first mounting base, and has a second bearing surface thereon which is disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the framing means, on the back side thereof, and further comprising a second generally horizontal framing means which is connected with the first framing means so as to extend laterally thereof, to the right and left sides of its axis, whereby broadly dimensioned work pieces can be supportively retained on the device substantially parallel with the first and second framing means thereof, each of said bearing surfaces being adapted to be abutted face to face with the head of the support, to rest the device thereon, and there being connector means on the respective mounting bases and the support whereby each base is detachably interconnectible with the support when the surface of the respective base is so abutted with the head thereof, said first bearing surface being in abutment with the head in the aforesaid upright condition of the device, and said second bearing surface extending thereabove in spaced relationship to the ground, for use in mounting the device on the head in an alternative condition wherein the device is generally horizontally disposed, the second bearing surface is abutted with the head, and the first bearing surface is extended in spaced relationship to the ground at one side of the head.
 2. The artist''s easel according to claim 1 wherein the mounting bases are adjustable in relationship to one another lengthwise of the first framing means.
 3. The artist''s easel according to claim 1 wherein the second framing means comprises a pair of framing elements that are spaced apart lengthwise of the first framing means, and equipped with means which are adapted to releasably interengage with the work piece at opposite edges thereof.
 4. The artist''s easel according to claim 3 wherein the framing elements are equipped with impalement elements, and are adjustable in relation to one another lengthwise of the first framing means for impalement of the latter elements in the edges of the work piece.
 5. The artist''s easel according to claim 1 wherein the first framing means is comprised of a pair of telescopically interengaged shafts, the lower of which has the first mounting base affixed to the lower end thereof, and the upper of which has the second mounting base slidably engaged on the body thereof.
 6. The artist''s easel according to claim 1 wherein the second mounting base is slidably engaged on the first framing means.
 7. The artist''s easel according to claim 1 wherein the first mounting base comprises a pair of hingedly interconnected plates, one of which is adapted to be abutted and detachably interconnected with the head of the support, and the other of which is superposed on the one plate and has the lower end of the first framing means affixed thereto, there being releasable lock means on the first mounting base, with which to lock and unlock the plates against relativE motion when they are so superposed with one another.
 8. The artist''s easel according to claim 1 wherein the connector means includes threadedly interengagable male and female connector elements on each of the respective mounting bases and the head of the support, and means for locking each of the respective bases against rotation with respect to the support when the connector elements of the support and that particular base are interengaged with one another.
 9. The artist''s easel according to claim 1 wherein the support takes the form of a tripod having a universally rotatable swivel head thereon.
 10. The artist''s easel according to claim 1 wherein the second framing means comprises a pair of framing elements that are spaced apart lengthwise of the first framing means, and each equipped with lateral extensions which are articulated with respect to the framing element, to be extended into an outriggered, substantially parallel condition with respect to the element, or alternatively, retracted into a folded, substantially parallel condition with respect to the first framing means.
 11. The artist''s easel according to claim 1 wherein the first framing means has a socket in the upper end thereof, within which to accommodate the standard of an attachment device mounted thereon.
 12. The artist''s easel according to claim 1 wherein the second framing means includes a work board which is connected crosswise of the first framing means, and equipped with a pair of gripper elements which are adjustable in relation to one another lengthwise of the first framing means, and adapted to releasably interengage with the work piece at opposite edges thereof.
 13. The artist''s easel according to claim 12 wherein the second base is slidably engaged on the first framing means for adjustment to varying positions lengthwise thereof. 